Silent Hill Downpour is an Amazing and terrifying experience, It has awesome graphics, a great story, amazing enviroment, a nightmare final boss, etc. You really may feel several sacares while you are playing, and specially this game feels as a truly Silent Hill. As a good fan of Silent Hill I can say: this is one of the best Silent Hill ever.

Although having several issues with frame rate, freezing and clunky combat it is very easy to look over them and get drawn into the great and eerie story which is the first in a long time for the Silent Hill franchise.

Silent Hill : Downpour is actually a great game. To me this game is VERY underrated. Sure, it does have frame rate issues, sure it has slow pacing,sure the monsters aren't quite scary, and most definitely boring soundtrack, but if you actually play through the whole game, you will discover extremely scary moments, frightening rooms and a lot of story points that can glue on the chair forSilent Hill : Downpour is actually a great game. To me this game is VERY underrated. Sure, it does have frame rate issues, sure it has slow pacing,sure the monsters aren't quite scary, and most definitely boring soundtrack, but if you actually play through the whole game, you will discover extremely scary moments, frightening rooms and a lot of story points that can glue on the chair for hours. Ignore IGN, the reviewer is talking absolute crap. This is the first Silent Hill game in years that actually is worthy of your attention. So finally, grab some friends, go to fullscreen, turn off the lights, and prepare to have the most frightening sensation of your life!…Expand

The Silent Hill series is one of the best and oldest horror game series out there. Many people, like myself, grew up with the games and can’t wait for new scares and plot twists to unfold. Many fans have been harsh on some of the more recent games, but I feel like they haven’t given the games enough credit.
Silent Hill: Downpour is the latest game that has come out in the main series.The Silent Hill series is one of the best and oldest horror game series out there. Many people, like myself, grew up with the games and can’t wait for new scares and plot twists to unfold. Many fans have been harsh on some of the more recent games, but I feel like they haven’t given the games enough credit.
Silent Hill: Downpour is the latest game that has come out in the main series. Like Homecoming, it was an underrated game that deserved more praise. This game gave us well-written characters, a suspenseful plot, scary monsters, and a dark atmosphere that the other games gave us in the past.
The main character, Murphy Pendleton, a middle-aged convicted felon, is being transferred to another prison. While taking a bus there, it crashes and he is set free to wander around the town of Silent Hill. This horror series has, for the most part, been great at plots and this game has a great one. It is menacing, thrilling, and keeps your mind guessing on what is really going on.
With Silent Hill, you never know what really happened in all these characters’ pasts that brings them to Silent Hill in the first place. The main character is as conflicted and confused as James Sunderland from Silent Hill 2, which is a good thing.
The atmosphere of the game is subtly terrifying. No matter if you’re outside or inside the atmosphere is dark, chilling, and creepy. The noises throughout the game make you jump and you never know what is going to get you. In the first Silent Hill, when an enemy was near you could hear the outside emergency alarm going off. A great aspect the developers did in this was the same thing but with rain. When it rained, you could tell you were going into danger. Another cool attribute was the realism of the violence. For example, the more Murphy was hurt, the bloodier and messier his clothes became until he was healed.
The monsters in Downpour reminded me of monsters from past games. The classic Silent Hill nurses were present. There were new enemies as well. They were all very frightening and felt like they belonged in a Silent Hill game.
A few monsters don’t fit in with previous Silent Hill games. There is the screamer, the prisoner minion, and the prisoner juggernaut. These three enemies were all too humanlike for my Silent Hill taste. The screamer looked like a homeless woman and the other two just looked like faceless men that just came out of prison. Although the nurse is humanlike, she has been in every single Silent Hill game, which makes me excuse it.
Overall, the gameplay was good, but it could have had some improvements. The developers made the gameplay more realistic than the previous games. Murphy could either hold two firearms, two melee weapons, or one of each instead of being able to carry a multitude of weapons. Weapons had durability, so eventually they would break and you would have to find a new weapon.
Some things the developers could have done better is more availability to firearms. The enemies were difficult enough when you were only carrying broken weapons. It would have been nice if the creators would have given us better access to pistols, shotguns, rifles, etc. The thing that they brought into Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, which is the only SH game I despise, was when in game where there were chase scenes. In Downpour, I thought the chase sequences was draining, annoying, and unnecessary.
Just like Silent Hill: Homecoming, Murphy was able to make moral choices that decided the outcome of the ending. There was good and bad endings that you could get depending on the choices you made. Silent Hill has always had different endings, so I am glad they have always kept that in the game. This game stayed true to the whole series. The storyline was intriguing and suspenseful, the gameplay was decent, the characters were interesting and engaging, and most of the monsters were Silent Hill-like. Although there were some flaws in the game, it was an excellent addition to the whole franchise.…Expand

I'm a player of many gaming styles, however, Survival Horrors have a special place in my heart. Though the genre suffers the same horrors (pun intended) of the Horror movie genre, a traditional lack of quality being an attribute of the genre itself. Don't get me wrong, I've loved a good B-horror flick, and have had parties dedicated to their worship, however, a nuance that mostI'm a player of many gaming styles, however, Survival Horrors have a special place in my heart. Though the genre suffers the same horrors (pun intended) of the Horror movie genre, a traditional lack of quality being an attribute of the genre itself. Don't get me wrong, I've loved a good B-horror flick, and have had parties dedicated to their worship, however, a nuance that most participants in the consumption of the media fail to realize is that B-flicks are a sub-genre of the horror genre itself. Much like slap-stick is a genre under comedy. I would love to see a B-Survival Horror genre emerge, to distinguish itself as a valid, yet campy-cousin (lick slasher flicks) of the genre.

That being said, this is not a B-Survival Horror (or B-Horror for that matter) game. This is a light-horror, drama. Like the Nightmare Before Christmas, or "Ring" (Ringu for those who insist on romanji-literal translations) the intention of this game does not appear to make your skin crawl. It appears to entertain by providing a noir story, with even small noir vignettes within. It paces well as a survival horror, has exploration elements, and combat as many do, however, what distinguishes this from it's brethren (or loosely related cousins) is that all the stories within provide an "a ha!" moment, a tie in, very few loose ends. This all sets it apart from the previous Silent Hills many of you have loved.

I am not one of those. I have very little love for the previous Silent Hills. I feel they had very nice graphics in their respective timelines, however they lacked explanation. Why is this world full of nurses who are bent over strangely? Why is the city fractured? Why am I hear? Why is the radio static-y? Some of these have vague answers in the previous genre, however, instead of attempting to explain and indulge in narrative, they simply throw some other creature that looks like someone played too much with army figures and microwaves. I don't need an explanation for all of it, but some sort of attempt would be nice.

Many would argue these points, if the game has a real story, or the quality of whatever attempts to look like a story there; I don't care. I never finished a Silent Hill - that is, until Downpour.

Most reviews should start and end with summaries, and I apologize if I meandered (or used excessively large words - yes, I am a douche); and here is that summary:

In the end, I got there - that is, I got to the end of this Silent Hill Downpour. Did I enjoy the trip? Helps yeahs! I think back on the experience fondly, and I wonder if going back and playing the others might be more enjoyable as the story in this one was well explained. It's not as much twitch as games in it's genre, and it's not as horrific, but it's an enjoyable, more plausible additional to a genre that is full of shock value, low substance products whose entire story premises could fit in a Twitter tweet. I hope the next iteration doesn't loose all that this game brought: pace and story.…Expand

Game is not as scary as some of the first games in the series, but the atmosphere is there.
Dirty and bloody, not overly immersive as games tend to be nowadays.
True Silent Hill mysterious plot.
The best Silent Hill game since SH4, in terms of beign true to the original conepts.
Very limited weapons force you to look for a rocks around you to defend yourself - brilliant!
I've gotGame is not as scary as some of the first games in the series, but the atmosphere is there.
Dirty and bloody, not overly immersive as games tend to be nowadays.
True Silent Hill mysterious plot.
The best Silent Hill game since SH4, in terms of beign true to the original conepts.
Very limited weapons force you to look for a rocks around you to defend yourself - brilliant!

I've got mixed feelings when it comes to build quality. SH:D has some of the best exterior/interior design I've seen on X360, convincing characters. But on the other side - game is awfully laggy.…Expand

The storyline in downpour is OK but because of the GTA free roam style and all the mini side quests and collectables theres a risk of you loosing the plot or even loosing intrest in the story all together..of course all the bugs dont help and the monsters can be very annoying..im a huge silent hill fan and i really didnt enjoy this one.. the series either needs a mass overall or needs toThe storyline in downpour is OK but because of the GTA free roam style and all the mini side quests and collectables theres a risk of you loosing the plot or even loosing intrest in the story all together..of course all the bugs dont help and the monsters can be very annoying..im a huge silent hill fan and i really didnt enjoy this one.. the series either needs a mass overall or needs to just die sadly.…Expand

This game could of been a lot better. The combat was a complete down grade from Silent hill homecoming, the puzzle seemed impossible to get passed, the visuals were buggy, and the enemies were overpowering. I enjoyed the story, but that's about it. The gameplay and the replay value is bad however.

This game is atrocious as a Silent Hill sequel, and incredibly boring and not in the slightest bit frightening as a stand alone horror game. The monster design is lazy and uninspired. The score is woefully underused. The recycling of existing vocal tracks from real world sources instead of using new performances is both lazy and jarring. The majority of the puzzles are overly simplistic.This game is atrocious as a Silent Hill sequel, and incredibly boring and not in the slightest bit frightening as a stand alone horror game. The monster design is lazy and uninspired. The score is woefully underused. The recycling of existing vocal tracks from real world sources instead of using new performances is both lazy and jarring. The majority of the puzzles are overly simplistic. Many scenes in the game are directly ripped off from other games. This includes the plot which is a poorly executed rehash of Silent Hill 2 that adds nothing to the overall mythos of the franchise. And the downpour aspect of the game has such a tenuous connection to the game itself as be nearly irrelevant.…Expand

What may generally be seen as a potential downfall to the Silent Hill series may also be considered a resurrection and a reprieve from all the previous Silent Hill BS that hardcore fans of the series will argue they have been fed for a long time now.

Whilst many may not enjoy Silent Hill Downpour, it is a pretty solid game, and definitely has it's roots in the original games, even ifWhat may generally be seen as a potential downfall to the Silent Hill series may also be considered a resurrection and a reprieve from all the previous Silent Hill BS that hardcore fans of the series will argue they have been fed for a long time now.

Whilst many may not enjoy Silent Hill Downpour, it is a pretty solid game, and definitely has it's roots in the original games, even if just a little. The transition to the other world has it's charms, and the hellish place itself is well designed and more than a little disturbing. The story itself is relatively strong, with an unexpected (yet, some may argue, cliche) plot twist.

The gameplay is a lot more like survival horror than Silent Hill Homecoming, the closest Silent Hill game I can relate this one to. Weapons can at times be overpowered, and medkits are practically thrown at you, but it has a little bit of challenge that doesn't seem to be achieved in survival horror any more. The incredibly counter intuitive concept of having to check your health via the pause screen, however, is simply ridiculous.

Overall, this game seems to be what fans of the series deserve, even if it isn't quite what they fully want. Strong story, relatively strong, if a little dull, characters, disturbing atmosphere, though pretty poor enemy design and slightly repetitive mechanics. It works, but it's far from perfect.…Expand

Silent Hill: downpour shows that there's still some gas in the tank, but it might be a little too diluted and not firing on all cylinders.

PROS: Great atmosphere throughout, Interesting story that shows the potential of tying seemingly random incidences to Silent Hill, Creepy sounds and music, some multiple endings that fit well.
CONS: Lackluster combat, frequent frame-rate drops,Silent Hill: downpour shows that there's still some gas in the tank, but it might be a little too diluted and not firing on all cylinders.

PROS: Great atmosphere throughout, Interesting story that shows the potential of tying seemingly random incidences to Silent Hill, Creepy sounds and music, some multiple endings that fit well.

CONS: Lackluster combat, frequent frame-rate drops, frequent and long loading screens, some unimaginative creature designs, some pointless characters, some multiple endings that do not fit well.

If you're a fan of Silent Hill, then this game is more than enough to satisfy. However, if you're looking for some straight up horror, there are better options out there. 6/10…Expand

a major improvement .homecoming felt like a rape .while downpour feels like slient hill has not gone to **** the combat in the game is kinda fun . homecoming s combat was blocky bull**** .down pour the option to run is back . i spent hours playing it . i will argue with ign or any cocksucking **** that slient hill downpour is 1000 time s better then homecoming. down pour is thea major improvement .homecoming felt like a rape .while downpour feels like slient hill has not gone to **** the combat in the game is kinda fun . homecoming s combat was blocky bull**** .down pour the option to run is back . i spent hours playing it . i will argue with ign or any cocksucking **** that slient hill downpour is 1000 time s better then homecoming. down pour is the best western developed game. it shouldbe also the last . let japan do the rest.…Expand

Graphics: Character models don’t look that great, the environments/atmosphere I thought was great and felt like a Silent Hill game. The creatures looked okay but in no way were they Silent Hill creatures. 8.5.
Sound: It felt like Silent Hill, creepy, nice themes, annoying creatures. 10.
Gameplay: The combat sucks it’s completely retarded and it just doesn’t work well. You getGraphics: Character models don’t look that great, the environments/atmosphere I thought was great and felt like a Silent Hill game. The creatures looked okay but in no way were they Silent Hill creatures. 8.5.
Sound: It felt like Silent Hill, creepy, nice themes, annoying creatures. 10.
Gameplay: The combat sucks it’s completely retarded and it just doesn’t work well. You get mobbed up with enemies and your only choice is to run. The gun mechanics are also terrible, and sometimes you shoot a creature and there’s no hit detection. Exploring and puzzles are the only gameplay aspects that work in this title. 6.5.
Story: The story is decent but the way it’s told or the direction it plays out is absolutely terrible. There are scenes where you end up falling through a long hole and the scene skips where your fine. It would be okay to do this once, but it is done multiple times. A scene where you’re attacked along with the 2 others in the same room was by far the worst cut scene I have ever witnessed in a Silent Hill game. The overall execution of the story depends on the dull choices you make throughout the game, as well as how many side missions you complete (if I remember correctly). No thought put into the boss battles, and the chasing black hole is what I consider laziness by the developers. 5.5.
Lasting Appeal: This is a disgrace to all the other Silent Hill games, but it can still be enjoyed. I would only recommend it as a rental. 6.0.
Overall Score: 7.3 out of 10.…Expand

Silent hill downpour is a good game. Period. Is it flawless? No. Of course not. I liked the entire visual presentation and creepy atmosphere. The side quests were a nice touch and encourage at least a second play through but what i liked the most was the storyline. It wasn't the most awe inspiring writing in all of video games, yet murphy's tale of redemption kept me wanting to pressSilent hill downpour is a good game. Period. Is it flawless? No. Of course not. I liked the entire visual presentation and creepy atmosphere. The side quests were a nice touch and encourage at least a second play through but what i liked the most was the storyline. It wasn't the most awe inspiring writing in all of video games, yet murphy's tale of redemption kept me wanting to press forward to find out about his mysterious and troubled past. There were some loose ends story wise that never got resolved and left me disappointed. Some frame rate issues and lack of the signature soundtrack were minor issues for me. It would have been nice to have greater variety in enemies and not the same four types through out the entire game, also boss fights would have been nice in my opinion. In my opinion this game doesn't deserve alot of the lack luster reviews it received. The things it gets right far exceed the things it gets wrong. It's not perfect, not by a long shot, but if you're a fan of survival horror at least give it a chance. I don't think you'll be disappointed..…Expand

Silent Hill: Downpour has everything that I look for in a Silent Hill game: an interesting story, a rich atmosphere, and some of the most intriguing puzzles I have seen in the series (especially the way some of them bend reality). I appreciate that Silent Hill is still sticking to the Horror genre, even though the main RE games and Dead Space have jumped ship. While some of the sidequestsSilent Hill: Downpour has everything that I look for in a Silent Hill game: an interesting story, a rich atmosphere, and some of the most intriguing puzzles I have seen in the series (especially the way some of them bend reality). I appreciate that Silent Hill is still sticking to the Horror genre, even though the main RE games and Dead Space have jumped ship. While some of the sidequests can be glitchy, sidequests are a very good step forward for the series. In addition, while the enemies could use some more variety, I appreciated that I always had to look over my shoulder and was often caught off guard. Twitchy, blobby monsters can only scare you for so long, and I liked that I couldn't just run around and safely club everything with a pipe like in SH2. This is definitely a worthy addition to the series, and you will find it very rewarding if you stick with it!…Expand

A thriller that makes you think about the story. It's intelligent and evolving. It's mysterious and mixes moments of thoughts with moments of action. It is what it is. It's not SH, SH2 or SH3. It's Downpour. It's the future of Silent Hill. Hope you get on board of this.

This the first time a Silent Hill game has side missions, and it works great! It doesn't obey you to do something youA thriller that makes you think about the story. It's intelligent and evolving. It's mysterious and mixes moments of thoughts with moments of action. It is what it is. It's not SH, SH2 or SH3. It's Downpour. It's the future of Silent Hill. Hope you get on board of this.

This the first time a Silent Hill game has side missions, and it works great! It doesn't obey you to do something you don't want to do at a time. It sets you free to explore the city. While some of these side missions are great and clever (like the Cinema quest and the Gramophone one), some of them are just dull, like the bank quest that is worth the time because it's interesting to explore a new scenario. Just like the man with the missing heart.

It doesn't send you tons of tough monsters all the time (like Homecoming), keeping you from enjoying the game and story. It flows as well as an excellent game would. There's no lack of supplies, something that could "suffocate" the player.

This is entertaining and playing it is like watching a movie. You know why? Because it's got a great story. The ending is up to your decisions throughout the journey. Get on board, you too!…Expand

I was like in high school when silent hill 2 came out. I tried to play the game but felt too depressed and suffocated which made me realize this type of game is not my cup of tea, so I gave it up. Almost 10 years later, I became quite dark and can take all kinks of depressed so I give this game a try. The gameplay is old-school fashion, which felt too slow and clumpy at the beginning, butI was like in high school when silent hill 2 came out. I tried to play the game but felt too depressed and suffocated which made me realize this type of game is not my cup of tea, so I gave it up. Almost 10 years later, I became quite dark and can take all kinks of depressed so I give this game a try. The gameplay is old-school fashion, which felt too slow and clumpy at the beginning, but you will get to it. I only felt uneasy at the first 2 hours, but overall this game is not that scary, but enough to give you a silent hill experience. My only complain is that the game feels too short.…Expand

Spent some time playing Silent Hill Downpour this morning and realized that the developer of the game must truly be insane. Good game if you are into some spooky situations and what appears to be an insanity induced storyline. To be sure there are some startling moments that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I guess this is my way of saying that the game is worth playing.

At long last a title worthy of it's late precedessors, Silent Hill Downpour gives you everything that a SH game should, a good(not brilliant) story, the creepy setting of a haunted city and challenging puzzles(on hard difficulty) where you have to actually use your brain instead of mashing buttons randomly.
To sum it up:
+good story
+horror feel
+good puzzlesAt long last a title worthy of it's late precedessors, Silent Hill Downpour gives you everything that a SH game should, a good(not brilliant) story, the creepy setting of a haunted city and challenging puzzles(on hard difficulty) where you have to actually use your brain instead of mashing buttons randomly.
To sum it up:
+good story
+horror feel
+good puzzles
-----------------------------------
-framerate at times
-long loading screens
-monster design is lacking

7/10 overall, a must play for any silent hill fan, for others not so much…Expand

This is a pretty good game. I believe it will make you jump or make you feel scared at least once. I feel it didn't do as well as it could've because gamers depend on sites like IGN to tell them what to buy. IGN gave this game a 4.5 out of 10, yet 10 month later, said this was the most underrated game of 2012. If you're reading this because you are debating if you should rent or buy thisThis is a pretty good game. I believe it will make you jump or make you feel scared at least once. I feel it didn't do as well as it could've because gamers depend on sites like IGN to tell them what to buy. IGN gave this game a 4.5 out of 10, yet 10 month later, said this was the most underrated game of 2012. If you're reading this because you are debating if you should rent or buy this game, do it, as long as you buy it for $20 or less.…Expand

I am a long time Silent Hill fan ever since the original for PSOne, and I must say, i was deeply impressed with Downpour. I know this review is very late considering the release date but I only recently had a chance to play it through.

From the very first moments of the game i realized that this was not simply a "re-hash" attempt but rather a whole new take on the series and i wasI am a long time Silent Hill fan ever since the original for PSOne, and I must say, i was deeply impressed with Downpour. I know this review is very late considering the release date but I only recently had a chance to play it through.

From the very first moments of the game i realized that this was not simply a "re-hash" attempt but rather a whole new take on the series and i was overwhelmed with suspense during the first sequence of the game. From there it only picked up for me. From the well designed artwork for the environments to the overall flow of the entire story, to even the soundtrack used to add that extra bit of tension, it was a complete package I have come to love from Silent Hill that i haven't seen so well executed since Silent Hill 3. However, it was far from perfect. Clunky controls were definitely apparent, but that made the tension seem that much more real in my opinion. When you forget to hold down your "Lock on" trigger because an enemy jumped out at you, it was very easy to miss with a swing of your weapon and take some unnecessary damage. So for me, it seemed more real, if a creature really jumped out at you and you are unsuspecting you won't perfectly punch it straight in the face. So personally i thought the combat was well executed to add to the overall tension of certain points of the game. The other flaw I noticed was with the FPS. I played this on PS3 and there were many occasions were the frame rate would spike and it would spin me around and I would be facing the opposite direction, so that was a bit frustrating at times, but easily dealt with as it never seemed to happen during combat. So overall, with the excellent story (i was impressed by the entire execution of the main story arc), the fantastic scenery, and the suspense and tension throughout, it is easy to overlook the few flaws the game has. I would 100% recommend this game to Silent Hill fans and newcomers to the Horror genre alike. 10 - Presentation
10 - Sound
7 - Controls
5 - Re-playability…Expand

i disagree with all the bad reviews. i love silent hill since day 1, and of course downpour isnt as revolutionary as the first one, but no "sequel" can ever achieve this goal. if you accept that, downpour is a solid game. i advise to play through it in long sessions, its not a game to play only for half an hour. although some of the sidequests disappoint, others make up for it. if youi disagree with all the bad reviews. i love silent hill since day 1, and of course downpour isnt as revolutionary as the first one, but no "sequel" can ever achieve this goal. if you accept that, downpour is a solid game. i advise to play through it in long sessions, its not a game to play only for half an hour. although some of the sidequests disappoint, others make up for it. if you watch closely youll see that a lot of effort went into creating an atmosphere that does justice to the old games. a few of the shocks really suprised me and had me catching my breath, and normally i'm not easily scared. in short, its a solid game that doesnt surpass the original one, but provides entertainment and the silent hill feeling nevertheless. i enjoyed it and think that most fans of the old games can get something out of this game, if they dont expect it to be as revolutionary as the first game.…Expand

Silent Hill Series is the Best Survival-Horror-Psycho-logic Games and Have Millions of Fans . Silent Hill(8) Downpour Maybe is Not The Best Game in Series (From Critic and Some Fans) But it is The 3rd Best Game in the Series For Me (Behind Shattered Memories and First Silent Hill) ! . With Thoughtful-Beautiful Story , Perfect-Artistic Visuals , Challenging-Fun Puzzles , Well AtmosphericSilent Hill Series is the Best Survival-Horror-Psycho-logic Games and Have Millions of Fans . Silent Hill(8) Downpour Maybe is Not The Best Game in Series (From Critic and Some Fans) But it is The 3rd Best Game in the Series For Me (Behind Shattered Memories and First Silent Hill) ! . With Thoughtful-Beautiful Story , Perfect-Artistic Visuals , Challenging-Fun Puzzles , Well Atmospheric Environment And Amazing-Superb-Excellent Music (From Great Daniel Li cht ! The Main- Menu Theme is Stunning !) Make it a Very Stylish Horror Game ! . However While the Previous Games Scare Players With its Atmosphere This Game Have Many Scary Scenes Which is Very Smart-Designed and That's Impossible to Not Scare From Those ! . Downpour the Eight Installment in This Beautiful Series is one of The Best Horror Games (The 3rd Best in My Opinion ! ) And Will Satisfy the Fans and its worth to play i Promise .…Expand

I agree with Milhan. This game kicks ass. I like IGN but I'd definitely punch them in the **** nose cause Resident Evil is obviously paying them bribes. Which they wouldn't have to if they didn't produce garbage like RE5 and Racoon City.... Give me a **** break RE6, I've lost all faith... holding out for a remake of RE 1-3. Silent hill is still as bright and true. Kicks Ass!

Silent Hill Downpour is a good game. No matter how much hate it gets or how it does not compare to the SH games back in the day. SH:D is roughly about a 6 hour game but the amount of Easter Eggs, Side Quests and other things will make a Single Playthrough last more than 10 hours. The most important thing about the SH saga is story, something Downpour does well BUT combat (Or lack of) isSilent Hill Downpour is a good game. No matter how much hate it gets or how it does not compare to the SH games back in the day. SH:D is roughly about a 6 hour game but the amount of Easter Eggs, Side Quests and other things will make a Single Playthrough last more than 10 hours. The most important thing about the SH saga is story, something Downpour does well BUT combat (Or lack of) is also very important this is my Favorite part of Downpour it's sticky, hard to pull off and MOST IMPORTANTLY AVOIDABLE. When exploring the Town you will find that most parts of the game are set in an open-world setting, the town is very confusing making it hard to get around (Plus, Not a minus) You might even get lost. Overall SH:Downpour is not a scary game BUT it pulls off other elements of Survival Horror quite nicely.…Expand

I can not stress enough read this review in full if u are considering getting this game, i took a gamble with it and would have liked to have a good user review on it, so listen to what i have to say.

Silent Hill Downpour is a slight return to the origins of Silent Hill, e.g. 2 and 3. If you like horror games with a engaging story this is the game for you and you will look past the badI can not stress enough read this review in full if u are considering getting this game, i took a gamble with it and would have liked to have a good user review on it, so listen to what i have to say.

Silent Hill Downpour is a slight return to the origins of Silent Hill, e.g. 2 and 3. If you like horror games with a engaging story this is the game for you and you will look past the bad frame rate in some section and below average visuals.
While this is not a fantastic game for many reasons, e.g. below average visuals, bad frame rate, few loading hitches and a stretching of game play towards the end, this is still a good game with an amazing atmosphere and INCREDIBLE sound to make you just that more scared.
Critics judged this game for having a bad combat system, i have to disagree, while it could be called simple you need it to be because some of the enemy's are tough and have patterns that need to be remembered, so a complex combat system with many button combinations would make the game worse.
So in conclusion this is a good game with good atmosphere and a good story and if u can get past the visuals you will have a good time.…Expand

Great game, i just loved the addition of secondaries objectives, all of them are great to solve and adds a lot to the length and fun of this game. Murphy for me its a great character you really feel his emotions. Im a fan of silent hill games and after the deception caused by Homecoming this game is a wonderful surprise, silent hill is back people!!!

Silent Hill: Downpour is a refreshing entry in the long standing horror series I've come to love. I'm one of the few people that seemed to really love Homecoming, despite the flaws that game had. Silent Hill: Downpour rectifies many of the problems Homecoming had, while adding new problems into the fold. Downpour adds a layer of exploration by having Silent Hill an actual, explorableSilent Hill: Downpour is a refreshing entry in the long standing horror series I've come to love. I'm one of the few people that seemed to really love Homecoming, despite the flaws that game had. Silent Hill: Downpour rectifies many of the problems Homecoming had, while adding new problems into the fold. Downpour adds a layer of exploration by having Silent Hill an actual, explorable part of the game. Some of the games best moments comes from the numerous side quests scattered across the city. These offer more back story to the town and its inhabitants, and make good distractions from the main story line. Combat in Downpour is also much more in line with entries 1-4 than Homecoming, which is neither good or bad. Alex was better at combat for a reason. If you found Homecoming's combat to be either not scary, or to far from the classics however, Downpour will make you feel right at home. It flows well once you learn each enemies attack pattern, and can be a real blast when you hit the sweet spot.

However, with these steps forward, Downpour also takes the same amount of steps back. The story in Downpour is slow going, and in the end, depending on which ending you get, not very satisfying. The richness of the mystery slowly fades as you progress through the game, and you can often find yourself making a better story in your head than the one being told by the actual game. Graphics are also a mixed bag. The xbox 360 version is much more consistent in both textures and stability. The PS3 version often has significant slowdown, texture pop-in, and issues with screen tearing. The 360 version isn't perfect either, but suffers less often. Downpour, despite its flaws, is a game worth your time and money. Just make sure to be patient in learning the combat system, and letting the story unfold.…Expand

As a big fan of the Silent Hill franchise, and a big fan of survival horror in general, i found SH Downpour to be, despite it's flaws, a great game created by oblivious gaming sites which simply don't appreciate anything than our usual hand holding modern video games, Downpour is the first game in years (not only in the franchise but in it's whole genre), to great a true atmosphere ofAs a big fan of the Silent Hill franchise, and a big fan of survival horror in general, i found SH Downpour to be, despite it's flaws, a great game created by oblivious gaming sites which simply don't appreciate anything than our usual hand holding modern video games, Downpour is the first game in years (not only in the franchise but in it's whole genre), to great a true atmosphere of tension and grittiness, which is the essence of the survival horror in general, and in this way it captures the feeling of the classic SH games, and achieves this not only with great visual and sound design (though animations and some models could be better), but by making the player feel lost and vulnerable (which is the situation in which the actual character is supposed to be).

There's a few particular aspects i didn't like about the game, the first one is combat, which is extremely clumsy, however, the game rarely forces combat on you, (rather than that it encourages you to escape from the worst situations for the sake of survival like the classic SH games did), so it's not that big of a problem, and secondly the monster design is really lame when compared to the awesome and disturbing monster design that the franchise is known for.…Expand

What I consider to be the best in the series since the original trilogy. It may not be perfect and leaves a lot to be desired in some areas, but it's definitely a step in the right direction. Instead of focusing all on one type of gameplay, this one gathers all the best aspects of each game and works them in harmony with each other, the result in my opinion is a fun and well balanced game.What I consider to be the best in the series since the original trilogy. It may not be perfect and leaves a lot to be desired in some areas, but it's definitely a step in the right direction. Instead of focusing all on one type of gameplay, this one gathers all the best aspects of each game and works them in harmony with each other, the result in my opinion is a fun and well balanced game. not only does it take gameplay mechanics from each of the earlier games, it improves on them as well. The controls and combat system are like origins but much less annoying and more responsive... plus you can't carry 40 TVs in your pocket. The otherworld and chase sequences are much more intense and effective than in shattered memories. The story is great, although I felt some of the characters don't appear enough. The monsters, while they are symbolic, for the most part are kind of lame and generic, unfortunately. The graphics are awesome, exploration is fun and well thought out, the addition of sidequests is nice and they never break you from the overall mood, except for maybe one of them. I really enjoyed this game and hope they take notes from it for the next game. It's still pretty far from the nature of the originals, but this one hits the closest in comparison to the others since 4.…Expand

The appeal to this silent hill title is the engrossing story which should be experienced once by any silent hill fan but there are many issues with this title. The bugs in this game for me included auto saves not saving, enemy's slipping through walls (had to restart "the bank" side story 4 times) and things just not working ("mirror mirror" side quest would not "complete" even with use ofThe appeal to this silent hill title is the engrossing story which should be experienced once by any silent hill fan but there are many issues with this title. The bugs in this game for me included auto saves not saving, enemy's slipping through walls (had to restart "the bank" side story 4 times) and things just not working ("mirror mirror" side quest would not "complete" even with use of guides). The enemy's were disappointing and really weren't varied(5 types excluding crate monsters and "the void"), and combat was clunky leading me to button mash to victory. I honestly prefer SH:homecoming too this game which surprises even me, this should only be played by silent hill fans exclusively. With this I've played every current title made available in North America, I still enjoy silent hill 1 the most if you can deal with ps1 graphics this game is a real treat, otherwise play through Silent hill 2 my second favourite well worth your time.…Expand

I think I am one of the few people who actually liked this game. Vatra did a really god job capturing the core of a silent hill experience and delivered an oustanding result.In this game you are Murphy Pendleton, a prisoner who gets the chance of getting his freedom by escaping through silent hill, in a journey in which he will face his inner demons. The game has a wide variety ofI think I am one of the few people who actually liked this game. Vatra did a really god job capturing the core of a silent hill experience and delivered an oustanding result.In this game you are Murphy Pendleton, a prisoner who gets the chance of getting his freedom by escaping through silent hill, in a journey in which he will face his inner demons. The game has a wide variety of environments, each one of them extremely detailed and creepy. You wiill expplore both the inside of buildings and the "open world" of silent Hill. Sometimes it's difficult to figure out where to go, but that's because we are now used to follow the x on the map without using our brain. Places feel like places and not corridors with scripted events.The bad side of this is that occasionally, I repeat OCCASIONALLY the games freezes a bit during saving or during fightings in outdoor. Lag appears occasionally and you won't notice it after a while. Speaking of combat, it feels very physical, you can use a gun or a melee weapon. You can equip a single melee weapon at a time, and they're breakable too. Weapons are used also to destroy walls or to climb to higher floors,. Fighting can be difficult at first but then you'll get used to the controls. What I felt was a reminder of the ps2 era are the puzzles, finally I have to solve riddles, paying attention to notes, use my brain instead of shooting everything that moves. In the end this game is highly reccomended, a true masterpiece in the survival horror genre and one of my new favourite games this generation. Buy it and don't mind the haters! This is a true silent hill game with all the scares, twisted plot, action and otherworldy riddles!…Expand

It's fantastic that Vatra had taken the time to make this game really feels like a silent hill, with an uncomfortable control that really makes me feel weak against every monster and it's one of the things that i really like about a survival horror game, great storyline and a great atmosphere. the only thing that wasn't so good was the music but carrying the Akira Yamaoka load it's a veryIt's fantastic that Vatra had taken the time to make this game really feels like a silent hill, with an uncomfortable control that really makes me feel weak against every monster and it's one of the things that i really like about a survival horror game, great storyline and a great atmosphere. the only thing that wasn't so good was the music but carrying the Akira Yamaoka load it's a very hard weight…Expand

I like the new direction they went with this game. The open world structure is what ive always wanted in this game. the beg. to middle of the game was really cool. It ended a bit too quickly, the ending was wtf. My fav. silent hill game, but still could improve a lot

I played this game soon after I finish SH HD Collection ( I am a big fan of the series). I was expecting for the worst but this game really surprised me. Silent Hill never looked so scary and real. This time you can really explore the town, including some residences and other places. The pace is perfect and the suspense keeps you on at all times. The only problem is the frame rate, but youI played this game soon after I finish SH HD Collection ( I am a big fan of the series). I was expecting for the worst but this game really surprised me. Silent Hill never looked so scary and real. This time you can really explore the town, including some residences and other places. The pace is perfect and the suspense keeps you on at all times. The only problem is the frame rate, but you can even ignore considering the quality of the game. Long life to Silent Hill!…Expand

While not the Silent Hill many of us were hoping for, it is a step in the correct direction. The game itself gets right some of the main aspects of a good survival horror game should have. The object is actually to survive, rather than to be an overpowered human with militaristic backgrounds.....So yes combat is bad, playable, works, but when a group of enemies are surrounding you, yourWhile not the Silent Hill many of us were hoping for, it is a step in the correct direction. The game itself gets right some of the main aspects of a good survival horror game should have. The object is actually to survive, rather than to be an overpowered human with militaristic backgrounds.....So yes combat is bad, playable, works, but when a group of enemies are surrounding you, your best bet is to get out of the area. The graphics, personally I thought they were great, they werent glossy but still detailed giving the game back another aspect of horror games, it was kind of ugly, yet retained that feel that it was still next-gen. The story, well it works, it keeps you guessing, but does run into the occasional confusion seeing as the game seems to try juggling two stories. Otherwise, the story I found great, and left openness to ideas and fill in the blanks of your ideas on symbolism. Now, with that said here comes the bad, and the main thing is....Its just not scary. Like out of all the cool monsters that could've come out of a prison inmates head, they produced (in the words of The Escapists Yahtzee) "dudes". She-Dudes and He-Dudes, that literally dont look twisted or frightning at all. Because we know what they look like, we know why they are part of Murphy's psyche etc. It just wasn't frightning and that left me with such a desired to be taste in my mouth that I couldn't stop thinking about it all the time, I kept thinking, "Oh this is setting me up for something really freaky and then nothing. Just room after room. The other problem I had was the subtlety, also absent, what made Silent Hill 2 what it was, was figuring out after long hours of thinking and wiki blogs, we still have no idea to this day, what some of the symbolism in that game was. Downpour just pushes it on you, and its completely obvious what it symbolizes. Anyway as a closing thought the game is great and a worthy entrance to the series.…Expand

Great game reminds me SH 2 and 3, pure oldschool. Game is creepy, lack of weapons force you to use even rocks from the ground. Puzzles are quiet challenging and the atmosphere is uncertain. The game feels like good old SH. Also the mysterious story forces you to keep going further. Game deserves at least a solid 9, don't listen press reviews.

Outstanding!There are changes from the original 3 silent hill games, (1&2 being better then 3) but I love the new ideas. The combat feels right for a silent hill game and hasn't gone down the boring route of every other game on the market today.The opening door feature doesn't sound like much but it adds to the "what's waiting for me round the corner" feel.
The weapon pick up feels greatOutstanding!There are changes from the original 3 silent hill games, (1&2 being better then 3) but I love the new ideas. The combat feels right for a silent hill game and hasn't gone down the boring route of every other game on the market today.The opening door feature doesn't sound like much but it adds to the "what's waiting for me round the corner" feel.The weapon pick up feels great as there is not a limit or pre-written idea of what you will use.Not completed it yet and have heard there is no pyramid head which is a small let down however the game is defiantly outweighing the very minor "let downs" of being a fan of the series.That may sound bad but trust me, this game is very good.To sum it up, it's probably the first game since metal gear solid 4 and Gta 4 that I feel has been worth the money.And appart from silent hill 2 as that was on the ps2, I defiantly feel like this has been the best survival horror game since resident evil 3 nemesis!Only wish capcom took a page out of this book and continued the series for fans and not becoming action sell-outs.Despite the fog, there's fog but not as heavy as the ps2/ps1 editions, and pyramid head this game is still making me want to play more.The graphics I think are excellent, and most of all this game revolves around an entertaining story, meaning you want to play to find out what happens which I havent had that feel since final fantasy 10 (when square soft made good games).

Honestly outstanding game, and great effort!If metal gear solid 3 was not remade in HD then this would be my happiest buy of the year with regards to gaming, and one of the fewest games since 2005 I don't instantly have the thought of trading in.

Personally, I cannot recommend this game. The controls are god awful, the puzzles were neither difficult or clever. In my opinion, the silent hill series is dead, I will not be disappointed by another bad Silent Hill game again. I may pick up the HD collection for nostalgia purposes, but that's where I draw the line! The only good thing about this game was the opening scene, with a coolPersonally, I cannot recommend this game. The controls are god awful, the puzzles were neither difficult or clever. In my opinion, the silent hill series is dead, I will not be disappointed by another bad Silent Hill game again. I may pick up the HD collection for nostalgia purposes, but that's where I draw the line! The only good thing about this game was the opening scene, with a cool song by KoRn. Odd considering I don't listen to them!…Expand

From the moment I saw the E3 trailer I had high expectations for this!! I'm proud to announce that this game actually reaches those expectations in fact it goes far beyond them! The story is one of the greatest in silent hill. I played silent hill 1 a couple of years ago and since than I've been a fan of the series. I also own every game in the franchise. I'm glad that downpour is in myFrom the moment I saw the E3 trailer I had high expectations for this!! I'm proud to announce that this game actually reaches those expectations in fact it goes far beyond them! The story is one of the greatest in silent hill. I played silent hill 1 a couple of years ago and since than I've been a fan of the series. I also own every game in the franchise. I'm glad that downpour is in my collection. I have one problem with this game and that would be the fact that there is less scares I this game. The story is so damn good that you'll easily forget about the lack of scares. If you're a fan or just a casual gamer play this game, you may not like it as much as me but give it a chance.…Expand

It is safe to say that Downpour has the Silent Hill series back on track. While the first few hours of the game just seem to drag on. After the mine level it really starts to pick up. The developers of Downpour did a great job of capturing the atmosphere of the first few games. It is definitely a big step up from Homecoming, especially the storyline. While the game does have some glaringIt is safe to say that Downpour has the Silent Hill series back on track. While the first few hours of the game just seem to drag on. After the mine level it really starts to pick up. The developers of Downpour did a great job of capturing the atmosphere of the first few games. It is definitely a big step up from Homecoming, especially the storyline. While the game does have some glaring frame rate issues, but if your willing to look past that, you're in store for a great game.…Expand

It's better than SH:Homecoming,but that's not saying much.Despite some occasionally decent looking graphics,this game is total rubbish.Insipid puzzles,dull story,terrible combat against some of the worst designed enemies I've ever seen,and truly pathetic attempts at scares all combined to almost bore me to tears.The HD collection with it's decade old games put this one to shame.FaceIt's better than SH:Homecoming,but that's not saying much.Despite some occasionally decent looking graphics,this game is total rubbish.Insipid puzzles,dull story,terrible combat against some of the worst designed enemies I've ever seen,and truly pathetic attempts at scares all combined to almost bore me to tears.The HD collection with it's decade old games put this one to shame.Face it,Survival Horror as we once knew it is long dead.…Expand

Stop listening to the critics!This is one of the best games I have played.And I have played a lot.The developers have put a lot of love in this game.They can be proud of their Silent Hill.Go buy this!You will not regret it!Thank you Vatra and Konami for this great game!

I may be extremely biased, but as a huge fan of past Silent Hill games I enjoyed Silent Hill: Downpour. I bought the game the day it was released and instantly regretted my decision in doing so. I completed it on normal difficulty in less than three days and still regretted paying $60 for it. I agree with most of what every critic has said about the game, but I still found myself havingI may be extremely biased, but as a huge fan of past Silent Hill games I enjoyed Silent Hill: Downpour. I bought the game the day it was released and instantly regretted my decision in doing so. I completed it on normal difficulty in less than three days and still regretted paying $60 for it. I agree with most of what every critic has said about the game, but I still found myself having fun, and I'm not sure that I can explain why. Stay tuned for my attempt. Downpour follows the story of a man named Murphy Pendleton who engaged in some reckless behavior and wound up in prison. The violent opening scene sets up the rest of the game's plot. Murphy is set to be transferred to a different prison, but the bus carrying him and other inmates to the prison crashes. It's no coincidence that it crashes in the town of Silent Hill. As Murphy, you must find a way to escape Silent Hill. You'll find out about Murphy's past as the game progresses. You'll discover that revenge is a long, treacherous road. Perhaps it is this story that kept me glued to my TV screen despite the game's numerous flaws. I certainly found it very interesting. Besides Silent Hill 2, Downpour probably features the best story of any game in the franchise. It's predictable after a certain point, but it plays out nicely. The ending depends on how the game is played and the choices made by the player; however, there aren't many choices to be made, which is disappointing. I made "good" choices, but I chose to keep on the offense throughout the game, resulting in a bittersweet sort of closure. Why I chose to fight instead of flee is still a mystery to me because the combat is awful. I will never in a million years be convinced that a crowbar can break as easily as a piece of wood. I hate the block-and-then-swing-like-crazy approach. I'm also now convinced that Murphy has a severe case of Parkinson's disease because he cannot hold a gun straight. I finally gave up on aiming with any gun in the game and just hammered on the right trigger the entire time. It worked. The Otherworld chase sequences were kind of cool the first couple of times but I got very wore out on them as the game went along. Vatra should have made the Otherworld explorable as in the older Silent Hill games. In Downpour, it's mostly just run from point A to point B and try not to die. As disappointing as this may be I applaud Vatra for taking the risk and trying something new. I just wish that they had been even riskier with their efforts. Exploring Silent Hill in Downpour is a blast because the town has never looked this good. I got so much enjoyment out of simply exploring to see what I could find. There is one easter egg in particular that made me giddy with joy. That being said, the game could have looked a lot better. Downpour runs on the Unreal Engine, which has been used in games such as Batman: Arkham City, Mass Effect 3 and Gears of War 3, all of which are visually superior to Downpour. The game has some serious frame rate issues and some really annoying bugs. I know that it has problems, most of which I have pointed out, but I liked Silent Hill: Downpour. So sue me. It's not a great or even particularly good game. I would suggest not spending $60 on it. Wait a couple of months and buy it used at GameStop or something (by "something" I mean don't buy it at GameStop). It is as average as average can be. If I ranked the Silent Hill games it would be toward the bottom of my list. I liked it, though. I really did.…Expand

This game is simply amazing. I really love the atmosphere and the fact that you can free-roam in one of the most scary place of all time: Silent Hill. The main quest is full of scares and surprises but the real stars of the show are the side-quests. This game is a horror masterpiece.

This game brings a lot of old habits back to silent hill creating a terrifying atmosphere and a story that drives the player forward. However technical hiccups like the game nearly grinding to a halt every time it saves (which it does often) and some screen tearing issues as well. But overall the game is refreshing, feels like a new silent hill title, and the side quest are a fun way toThis game brings a lot of old habits back to silent hill creating a terrifying atmosphere and a story that drives the player forward. However technical hiccups like the game nearly grinding to a halt every time it saves (which it does often) and some screen tearing issues as well. But overall the game is refreshing, feels like a new silent hill title, and the side quest are a fun way to keep you interested. Bravo Vatra games if you make another silent hill titles I'll pre-order instantly…Expand

It's not as good as the original Team Silent games nor as good as Shattered Memories, but it's a masterpiece compared to Homecoming. My only real issue was the monster design, which I felt was lazy (except for The Wheelman). The sidequests were often times misleading, as they sometimes could be confused for parts of the main quest. There are lots of glitches, but those weren't a huge issueIt's not as good as the original Team Silent games nor as good as Shattered Memories, but it's a masterpiece compared to Homecoming. My only real issue was the monster design, which I felt was lazy (except for The Wheelman). The sidequests were often times misleading, as they sometimes could be confused for parts of the main quest. There are lots of glitches, but those weren't a huge issue nor were they crippling towards the gameplay. The scenery design is by far the most impressive out of any Silent Hill game - the streets, especially, are picture perfect. The story wasn't all that bad either, it didn't live up to Silent Hill 1-4's stories, but at least it kept a great psychological aspect to heart - however, the 'demon patrol cars' were a bit over the top and unnecessary. The game itself is reasonably short if you follow the main quest and avoid getting lost (which is easy to do in this most expansive Silent Hill world). The combat controls are a little difficult at first, but become reasonable after a little practice - not to mention the game can be completed without killing a single enemy (except for the bosses of course). The Otherworld sequences are probably some of the most amazing and intense out of any Silent Hill, though a certain lovable eerie feeling from previous games isn't a constant sensation - though it does offer chills and some decent frights. The new composer does the series well, though he will never replace Akira Yamaoka's great, eerie style. The town is given a certain understandable persona in this game that expands beyond the will of Alessa, which I liked, but I felt that a little too much was explained when it came to theories. As real as the town's design was, it didn't feel entirely like the Silent Hill I know and love. This part of Silent Hill felt a little further out of the grasp of the true terror, as glimmers of hope and sunshine are occasionally seen (which is never seen in any other Silent Hill). Trees grow strong and a lot of greenery isn't dead - while most of it is in previous Silent Hill games that take place on the other side of the town. I would recommend this game only to fans of the Silent Hill series, as it requires a certain patience that true fans are used to. The puzzles require thought and time, and even a physical piece of paper in order to recall certain numbers and combinations. One great thing about this game, is that I have a feeling that new mysteries will be discovered for years to come - and it takes a good game to pull something like that off.…Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
My experience since beginning Silent Hill Downpour has been extremely positive. The game felt like a proper continuation of the series in this gaming generation. Vatra added a substantial amount of setting, character and game-play to the Silent Hill universe and Daniel Licht composed a beautifully unsettling score - all while the whole team kept the brand of Silent Hill unscathed and prominent. Opening the town to more side-quests and encouraging the player to explore came as the best new addition to the series. My desire to freely roam and investigate Silent Hill never felt completely satisfied by previous Silent Hills. Vatra painted rich new angles of my favorite, maleficent town by letting us confront and interact with these simple side- scenarios. I don't know if I'll ever forget my moment in the movie theater or the story behind all the ribbons tied to telephone poles. The experiences set new landmarks and pushed the boundaries further for future games to nod to and aspire from.

Furthermore, Daniel Licht's score fell right into place, especially after this being his first shot at portraying the concept of Silent Hill. I can't think of anything he didn't do right. It came as such a pleasure to experience Silent Hill musically in a new, yet fitting way. The story begins with the right amount of intrigue necessary for a Silent Hill plot to develop healthily. The feel of a natural survival horror game makes a return with the moody atmospheres, puzzles, and desperate combat any survival horror fanatic lives for. It's an overall package that I'm really proud to play and look forward to replaying in the future. While the Silent Hill franchise may have grown rickety after the years, it has finally made its comeback with Downpour. I applaud Konami, Vatra, and Daniel Licht for releasing such a solid addition to my Silent Hill library. I can only hope that Konami recognizes they've reformed Team Silent and that they hit the target with this game.…Expand

I can honestly say that I enjoyed this game alot more than homecoming. It has that brooding and creepy atmosphere we all have come to love and the creatures I feel are well designed and symbolic to the storyline. Sure it may have occasional lag and other visual hiccups, but Vatra did a damn good job. The addition of side quests is also a nice touch and adds some replay value. I see myselfI can honestly say that I enjoyed this game alot more than homecoming. It has that brooding and creepy atmosphere we all have come to love and the creatures I feel are well designed and symbolic to the storyline. Sure it may have occasional lag and other visual hiccups, but Vatra did a damn good job. The addition of side quests is also a nice touch and adds some replay value. I see myself playing this game for quite some time.…Expand

I thought Silent Hill was officially done after I played Homecoming, it showed all that had become wrong with any survival horror game. But now Downpour is out and I am really surprised that it is as good as it was. It is the Silent Hill we know and love, not just a "can you run faster" or "HEY GUYS ACTION." such as the recent games that have been tried. The atmosphere is back and there isI thought Silent Hill was officially done after I played Homecoming, it showed all that had become wrong with any survival horror game. But now Downpour is out and I am really surprised that it is as good as it was. It is the Silent Hill we know and love, not just a "can you run faster" or "HEY GUYS ACTION." such as the recent games that have been tried. The atmosphere is back and there is a new rain portions that make enemies more numerous and powerful. Along with all that is the exploration and side quests these fit in with it and don't really seem forced at all. My only problem was that the "Doll" enemy type was laughably bad looking.…Expand

I just finished downpour and the story is still with me. Playing this game made me have nightmares but it was one hellava fun time playing through this. The story begins with a shocking scene that I won't ruin for you but its uncomfortable to play through which sets the tone for the rest of the game. Silent hill feels more the way it did in silent hill 2, feeling isolated and alone .I just finished downpour and the story is still with me. Playing this game made me have nightmares but it was one hellava fun time playing through this. The story begins with a shocking scene that I won't ruin for you but its uncomfortable to play through which sets the tone for the rest of the game. Silent hill feels more the way it did in silent hill 2, feeling isolated and alone . Atmosphere is top notch and you can easily lose yourself in this environment both literally and figuratively which adds a little to the frustration but hardcore gamers will be ok with it. In a nod to old school silent hill the map is a must and exploration becomes key. There are also side quests that have very interesting stories behind them. The game is glitched however so be sure to install a patch through xbox live. One such glitch actually ended my game and I had to start over. The biggest dissappointment for me was the lack of different monsters . I got tired of fighting the same crazy lady over and over again. The story however makes up for the lack of enemy variety and the immersion and entertainment this game provides is worth your hardearned money just leave the lights on!…Expand

Uff, difficult, this new title of the silent hill saga is one of the worst titles of Silent, and what is the principal problem?, is like a copy of the amazing Alan Wake, is not fresh, is boring, have good ideas, but is zzz... Silent Hill Downpour can be better.

Warning: Ignore IGN. The reviewer, Stephen Hopper, did not seem to know the controls for the game, and so thought the controls were terrible. Holding left trigger (Xbox) or L2 (PS3) will lock on to enemies and solve many of the problems players are facing in combat. Anyway. This game was a good refresh to the series, mainly due to the fact that it took some creative ....

I tip my hat to Vatra games for finally getting what Silent Hill needed, and I hope this studio has the rains to the next installment of Silent Hill.

I absolutely loved the otherworld sequences, the puzzles, the art design, the story, and the exploration was fantastic. The side quests were also implemented exceptinally well, and provided some extra hours of gameplay and variety.I tip my hat to Vatra games for finally getting what Silent Hill needed, and I hope this studio has the rains to the next installment of Silent Hill.

I absolutely loved the otherworld sequences, the puzzles, the art design, the story, and the exploration was fantastic. The side quests were also implemented exceptinally well, and provided some extra hours of gameplay and variety.

Things to improve on would be a less clunky combat system and more creative enemy design. Also I'd prefer a game without all the bugs, but honestly they didnt ruin my time.

This is the direction Silent Hill needs to head in. Thank you Vatra games for finally giving me the SIlent Hill game the fans wanted.…Expand

I have been a huge fan of the series since Silent HIll 2 and I havent given up yet, even though there were a few missteps in the series as of late. Silent HIll Downpour is a welcome addition to the series and is a great step toward revitalizing Silent HIll. I was initially put off by the mixed reviews, some favorable, some not so much. I usually go by IGN standards, but I really feel theyI have been a huge fan of the series since Silent HIll 2 and I havent given up yet, even though there were a few missteps in the series as of late. Silent HIll Downpour is a welcome addition to the series and is a great step toward revitalizing Silent HIll. I was initially put off by the mixed reviews, some favorable, some not so much. I usually go by IGN standards, but I really feel they dropped the ball on this one. Not to say I dont have some issues with the game, as there are a few. I will start with those to get them out of the way. A: the combat is a bit frustrating at times. Yes, it adds to some of the general tenseness, but at times it had me gritting my teeth. B: Not as much a complaint as a request, the moral choices should have been more involved. I wont ruin anything, but I feel there could have been a bit more to it. And really, those are my biggest problems with downpour. Now, the positives. One thing I have to say I enjoyed, was the voice acting for Murphy. Awesome. From his frightened screams to his comments, it seemed as though Murphy's tone and responses were natural and convincing. A few times the voice acting was shaky at best, but overall great. (side-note: Daniel Licht, who creates the soundtrack for Dexter as well, fits in nicely to the SH atmosphere. I hope he continues to work on the series musically). Also, I really loved the dynamic town. From side-quests to general exploration, as a HUGE silent hill fan I really enjoyed strolling the town, dodging otherworld patrol cruisers. Speaking of which, the otherworld is back and as twisted as ever. Including some dizzying moments and chase scenes that really create a sense of tension. All of this supported by some great visual effects and good graphics, notably most of the water-effects. But of curse, all of this is for not without a good plot, and I feel Murphy's journey has been the most engaging since James Sunderlands. I cant tell you how much I enjoyed the switch from town lore back to letting the town do what it does best: serving as ones personal hell. I feel the writers really encapsulated the roots of SH2 and what made it so engaging. It is not as great as the Sunderland love story, but it is definitely one of my favorite storylines, as I was growing tale with the towns cult storylines. Overall, aside from the few issues mentioned above, Downpour is great and a worthyaddition to any Silent Hill lovers collection. From the well told story, to the great story elements, to the towns atmosphere I would recommend this whole-heartedly. I would give it a solid 8 or 9 out of 10 for anyone willing to play it, but personally, as a HUGE fan to the SH universe, I give it a 10 for renewing my love of the series after a few lackluster installments.…Expand

"Silent Hill is back with Downpour. All those things that we missed in previous games are here again. The characters, the fog, the story, the gore, everything is back. This is what all SH fans have been waiting for."Yes! This is the best Silent Hill since SH2!!! Can't wait next Silent Hill game from VATRA!

I love this game. Is it brand new in many ways, but just like SH1, 2, and 3 in many other ways. People who pay close attention will see many homages to the original games. The game does make you search very thoroughly (like the old games) and you will need to be patient and very diligent in your searching and exploring. This game doesn't hold your hand like most new games do and I don'tI love this game. Is it brand new in many ways, but just like SH1, 2, and 3 in many other ways. People who pay close attention will see many homages to the original games. The game does make you search very thoroughly (like the old games) and you will need to be patient and very diligent in your searching and exploring. This game doesn't hold your hand like most new games do and I don't think that many younger players would find the game entertaining unless they are quite mature, intelligent and very observant. I had my reservations about this game and wasn't expecting too much because of Homecoming (which I thought was good, but not great) and I loved Silent Hill Origins and this game does give you a lot of melee weapons to choose from, but they break after some use, however the game provides a lot of replacement weapons and to be honest if you are smart, a bit conservative and search everywhere then you won't have a problem with ammo regardless of what you might have heard. I have played the game on Normal difficulty on both parts including the puzzles and have found them challenging but not impossible. I really feel as though Vatra took the best aspects of SH2 and Origins and combined them together to make their own game, with its own personality, own atmosphere and its own foundation for future games. I honestly believe that Silent Hill is finally back and here to stay. I wish they wouldn't have released 3 games in one month, and if you can only buy one of them, then I would buy Downpour without a doubt. It is fun, scary. challenging, it has great weapons, awesome graphics, a great story (that takes a while to get going but it is worth the wait trust me) and Vatra really has been respectful of the original games and at the same time they have really added many new twists and turns that have made the game their own in best of ways. I also need to let everyone know that the game took me 23 hours to complete, but I did almost all the side quests and played very diligently and carefully. Many of the game magazines have said ten hours, but that is not true and you will really get your money worth. The game is a blast to play, and if I had one complaint it's that the game sometimes does have moments of silence where you literally don't have any music at all and that is kind of detached from the game and I am sure that they had good intentions, but the silence at times is hollow and does hurt the overall experience. However, that is one small complaint, and overall I give the game a 8.5/10. Enjoy a real survival horror game (finally)! .…Expand

A perfect tribute to the first three games. It may not have the magic, terror and the originality of those, but it is a very worthy sequel, much better than Silent Hill: Home Coming. The combat is just as I expected: awkward and tiresome. People complain about it, but I think it's a good point. Nobody remembers the terrible combat controls and in Silent Hill 2 and 3? It is a characteristicA perfect tribute to the first three games. It may not have the magic, terror and the originality of those, but it is a very worthy sequel, much better than Silent Hill: Home Coming. The combat is just as I expected: awkward and tiresome. People complain about it, but I think it's a good point. Nobody remembers the terrible combat controls and in Silent Hill 2 and 3? It is a characteristic of the saga that was lost in Homecoming. The grafics are very good. Except for some minor bugs, the rest works great, with excellent lighting. Finally, a game highly recommended, especially for hardcore fans of the series (like me). Ah, do not trust IGN.

Some gameplay elements are taken from the previous few instalments. Most notably is from Silent Hill Homecoming, and a few things from Silent Hill Shattered Memories, such as the over the shoulder chase scenes that were common in memories. It also brings back a few cool things, like the loved classic fixed camera angle. The graphics are by far the best in the series at this time. Sure,Some gameplay elements are taken from the previous few instalments. Most notably is from Silent Hill Homecoming, and a few things from Silent Hill Shattered Memories, such as the over the shoulder chase scenes that were common in memories. It also brings back a few cool things, like the loved classic fixed camera angle. The graphics are by far the best in the series at this time. Sure, visual effects suck big ones, but still, its got some great graphics...The sounds are sometimes creepy, voice acting is very well done, and gunshots sound realistic. But monster sounds and the soundtrack is horrible. Kinda sad that akira could not provide his music this time... and they only allowed mary to do 1 track... hmm... and korn sucks big ones... i did not like the soundtrack.Some of the story is boring at first, but really, starts getting interesting later. Its also kinda sad when you uncover things about murphys deceased little boy... And depending on the end, its nice to see Anne and Murphy become friends.This is a very good change from the previous disappointing titles we got in the series, (Origins, Shattered Memories and Homecoming...), and the story is by far on par with Silent Hill 2 and 3.…Expand

Do not listen to Negative reviews from Critics, either they are way too stupid or blinded. I have noticed many Critics justifying a **** review for this game because it isn't Silent Hill 2. Judge the game for what it is and not for what it isn't. Downpour in all honesty is a step in the right direction, and is more faithful to the roots than recent iterations (Homecoming) The games storyDo not listen to Negative reviews from Critics, either they are way too stupid or blinded. I have noticed many Critics justifying a **** review for this game because it isn't Silent Hill 2. Judge the game for what it is and not for what it isn't. Downpour in all honesty is a step in the right direction, and is more faithful to the roots than recent iterations (Homecoming) The games story is quite compelling throughout. As for the criticism towards combat, I for one agree combat is not the best, but perhaps it was on purpose because you can run away from your fights, and it would seem like they encourage that. (One Achievement does) This game is great for fans and new people alike, I recommend a purchase, and a proper Metascore for this game should be anywhere from 75-90, anything less is pathetic because this game deserves better credit.…Expand

I found SH: Downpour a great experience, refreshing the saga with a cool story and a character different from previous one.
I love the music and atmosphere and perhaps have those clumsy graphics but is beareable having so many good points and the main one: is scary as previous ones.

Silent hill is coming to an end with downpour. Why cant konami just learn. We want true horror, not this crap. This is a horrible, boring game with several problems that make it literally unplayable. The game freezes randomly, lags constantly, the graphics glitch non stop, etc. Should i go on? SAVE YOUR MONEY, BUY RESIDENT EVIL OPERATION RACCOON CITY INSTEAD. This game is not true to theSilent hill is coming to an end with downpour. Why cant konami just learn. We want true horror, not this crap. This is a horrible, boring game with several problems that make it literally unplayable. The game freezes randomly, lags constantly, the graphics glitch non stop, etc. Should i go on? SAVE YOUR MONEY, BUY RESIDENT EVIL OPERATION RACCOON CITY INSTEAD. This game is not true to the series, it is the same fail thats been going on since 4.This is it, i am done. No more silent hill for me. Was considering getting the new BOM for my vita, but after this crap, and noticing BOM was top down, im gonna pass instead. Too bad. Taking it for a refund today.…Expand

As said by others, this game is not deserving of its hype. Its game has horrible bugs and glitches that are so easy to find. The game has same very bad lags and full system lockups. It has terrible visual effects. (graphics are ok), the story is ok. The combat system is broken. Animations for using weapons make Murphy fly everywhere (as said by IGN as well), and sometimes in crowded areasAs said by others, this game is not deserving of its hype. Its game has horrible bugs and glitches that are so easy to find. The game has same very bad lags and full system lockups. It has terrible visual effects. (graphics are ok), the story is ok. The combat system is broken. Animations for using weapons make Murphy fly everywhere (as said by IGN as well), and sometimes in crowded areas the game slows down to an un enjoyable framerate per second. I agree with ccrogers15, he said it out right. This game never should of happened if this is how konami plans to lead on this once good series. This series WAS good, up until 4. After 4, we get games that are very unenjoyable. Book of memories is next, and oh god, im sure it will fail utterly. Konami, listen to your fans and PLEASE, develop silent hill 10 for us yourselfs. No more of this nonsence, or bring back the dev team who made Silent hill 1-4. Silent Hill 1-4 got all good reviews( silent hill 4 was lower), but the rest all got mixed reviews or completely panned (like origins). Come on konami. I took my copy back, and they gave me a refund at gamestop which is good. Im using the money for Silent Hill HD Collection, i suggest you should too, to avoid being disappointed by the worst silent hill ever made.…Collapse

Warning: Ignore IGN. The reviewer, Stephen Hopper, did not seem to know the controls for the game, and so thought the controls were terrible. Holding left trigger (Xbox) or L2 (PS3) will lock on to enemies and solve many of the problems players are facing in combat. Anyway. This game was a good refresh to the series, mainly due to the fact that it took some creativeWarning: Ignore IGN. The reviewer, Stephen Hopper, did not seem to know the controls for the game, and so thought the controls were terrible. Holding left trigger (Xbox) or L2 (PS3) will lock on to enemies and solve many of the problems players are facing in combat. Anyway. This game was a good refresh to the series, mainly due to the fact that it took some creative steps in re-imagining the Silent Hill mythos, instead of relying on previous entries in the series to dictate its vision, as was the case with Origins and Homecoming. The Otherworld sequences are very imaginative, though many of the creatures are a little lacking in creative flair. Although Akira Yamaoka did not write the score for this one, composer Daniel Licht (of the Showtime series "Dexter") really stepped up to the plate and delivered an atmospheric score that both Silent Hill veterans and newbies can love. The story, while not the literary masterpiece that was Silent Hill 2, is still compelling, and takes a different spin on the indigenous population of the town. To be honest, it is not the scariest game out there. While the Otherworld scenes are delightfully disorienting and thrilling, and there are indeed some inspired scares interspersed into the game, it lacks the overall feeling of suffocating dread and crushing terror that was such a hallmark of the originals. However, that's a lot like comparing a modern stunt man to Evil Knievel. The game is not incredibly lengthy, but there are many intriguing side quests (a first for the series) that serve to expand upon the history of the town and its denizens. Many of them have intricate stories all their own. If you take the time to explore every house and building, you can really extend your playtime. Unfortunately, there do seem to be some long periods in the game where nothing is really happening, especially in the first half of the game. You will spend a long time exploring and traveling without much to keep you going outside of the occasional fight or puzzle. However, the Silent Hill games have always done that; perhaps I'm just not used to it anymore because most contemporary games always have something going on. Bug-wise, there are often framerate lags when the game autosaves, and that can be a real immersion-breaker. Also, there is one puzzle which, in a very small minority of users, does not give the full solution. Other than that, there does not seem to be any major gameplay glitches, and the two I mentioned could potentially be fixed in a patch. If you are unlucky enough to get the bugged puzzle, you may have to look up the answer, or be a good guesser. Honestly, I don't think the combat system is that bad. It's certainly leaps and bounds better than any other combat system the series has employed, with the possible exception of Homecoming. It's really pretty simple and easy to grasp. However, players are advised to read the instruction book, because the game does not tell you how to lock on to enemies (hold the left trigger / L2). The fact that you can grab just about anything around you and smack creatures with it is a nice addition, and although you can only carry one melee weapon at a time, it frees up inventory and there's always something nearby to grab in a pinch. Overall, it's a great game for fans of the series (especially considering the last few console entries were less than spectacular), and it's worth playing even if you've never played a Silent Hill title before. There is not a game quite like this one out there.…Expand

The Downpour review you have been looking for. I have yet to finish the game so this review will be continued at a later time regardless if I think it is bad or good. I still felt I needed to jump in here because some of the review here are terrible, this poor game is getting wounded by both the good and bad reviews. So, first off let me get who I am as a Silent Hill player out of the wayThe Downpour review you have been looking for. I have yet to finish the game so this review will be continued at a later time regardless if I think it is bad or good. I still felt I needed to jump in here because some of the review here are terrible, this poor game is getting wounded by both the good and bad reviews. So, first off let me get who I am as a Silent Hill player out of the way first. I have been playing Silent Hill since the original, I was there in 1999 when the game was first shown in gaming magazines and got a hold of the game instantly on release. I fell in love, and that love would grow through part 2,3, and even 4. Today I am the biggest Silent Hill fan I know, I study it, I am inspired by it, I barely go five minutes without it entering my mind. I am a creative type and everything I create connects to my inspiration of that foggy town in some way or another. I find Silent Hill 2 to be the greatest achievement in gaming even today. The game is so deep, poetic and complex that even some of its biggest fans arent even aware. The game manages to be so tightly paced, atmospheric and symbolic that one can easily miss it and view it as a boogeyman game, it is more than I think a game ever meant to be. The movie is horrible, Homecoming is a mess, Shattered Memories is good on its own merits as well as misunderstood, and Origins is decent. Now, Downpour. I have yet to finish like I said, and I am playing at the pace of a limping snail, simply to live in the wonderful town as long as I can. I am playing on normal difficulty with Puzzles set to hard. Thus far, the game is not a disappointment, and even more so is quite good. Coming from me that is remarkable, I am a hard ass critic and even more so when it comes to Silent Hill. I watch each installment close and judge it to death with every step and syllable of dialogue. Silent Hill 2 this is not, nor is it 1,3, and honestly so far not 4. But to be runner up to those titles...that is a huge accomplishment. Vatra worked hard on this and it shows. Creating a Silent Hill game is not like creating a Resident Evil game, with Silent Hill you have to bring new ideas to the table all the while throwing love to the fans and at the exact same time never ever crossing the line of too much or things that dont make sense (Pyramid Head). Downpour, thus far, has gotten this right. Its pace and atmosphere are delivering all while being a new experience in the series. It is eerie when played correctly and slow, its anthology pays a lot of respect to other Silent Hills even including comic book series (and the better comics to boot). It IS NOT perfect, no sir, but it is also not nearly as flawed as others are saying. I have had very little lag or texture problems but I do know they are there, it is true. The graphics while good are disappointing by Silent Hill standards. I use to dream of what it would one day look like on Ps3 and well, Downpour is not it, but it still is a good looking game. Now to the combat, this is important, very important. The Combat IS JUST FINE. True, I mean that. It is stiff yes, odd at times yes, difficult, and can leave you wishing you had just ran. Guess what? All intentional, all effective. It is survival horror in all its beauty. I know this 2012, I know this is the modern gaming generation but who cares? The modern generation feeds us Resident Evil 5, Dead Space, and Left 4 Dead. Now dont get me wrong, Dead Space is great and even scary but it is not Survival Horror. It is just a scary action game. Honestly only three games in recent years qualify as Survival Horror in true form. They are Siren: Blood Curse, Amnesia, and now Downpour. It is true Survival Horror where flight always wins over fight. Murphy screams "get away from me!" in pure fear at times when running from the most ordinary of Downpours foes. This is Survival Horror, and if you dont understand that or cant except it then maybe this game is not for you. Picture swinging a pick axe at something the size of your garage door in your face, you would swing like a little girl, much like Murphy. Downpour will have trouble keeping up amongst its modern horror peers which is sad because it honestly outdoes nearly all of them. Please keep an eye out, if you wish, for my follow up as soon as I complete the game and give my more direct review, it should also be far shorter. If you are reading this line I thank you very kindly. Here is to hoping the rest of Downpour is as good as its early stages are. Currently 8 or so out of 10.…Expand

Silent hill Downpour still a good game. Not the best in the series, but still a game to pick up and play all the way through. story is good, get a few scares here and there. the Voice acting is really good and prob the best in the series, it don't seem cheesy and everyone's voice seems to match up just right, Monsters are on the lame side a little bit, but i am happy they didn't Reuse allSilent hill Downpour still a good game. Not the best in the series, but still a game to pick up and play all the way through. story is good, get a few scares here and there. the Voice acting is really good and prob the best in the series, it don't seem cheesy and everyone's voice seems to match up just right, Monsters are on the lame side a little bit, but i am happy they didn't Reuse all the monsters from Silent hill 2 and 3 got tired of seeing EVERY monster in the same game. Story is good and i liked this one better then Homecoming. Controls suck BUT its silent hill ALL silent hill games controls suck. Combat is the same way but this is not a Combat game, i see your suppose to RUN from the monsters not stand there and take on 3 at a time. dont come into this game thinking your guy is a MMA fighter or was in the marines or something that is what i see all the bad reviews are for is the bad combat your guy is not a fighter as in all silent hills your just a avg joe

reason why i gave it a 8 is because of the monsters (could of been cooler buy hey this is vatra first game so i cut them some slack)…Expand

An attempt at silent hill gone wrong... again! Im gonna keep it simple, and just point out the flaws without mumbojumbo. This title has massive framerate drops, lags, and total lockups. (it is NOT my system. This is the ONLY game that does it on there.). The games animations are very amateur. You try to hit an enemy, and the weapon wont usually touch them and the character walks off on hisAn attempt at silent hill gone wrong... again! Im gonna keep it simple, and just point out the flaws without mumbojumbo. This title has massive framerate drops, lags, and total lockups. (it is NOT my system. This is the ONLY game that does it on there.). The games animations are very amateur. You try to hit an enemy, and the weapon wont usually touch them and the character walks off on his own while in combat. Next, the graphics. The graphics and models are pretty good, however visuals are sub par to a 2006 PS2 game. They were rushed. Monster design is horrible as well. The monsters are all similar looking to humans. Areas are very frustrating to navigate due to the choice of camera angle. The game is not at all scary, and its a very predictable game. I was very exited seeing Rely On Horrors downpour playthrough, and buying it i was happy. However only 5 mins into it after the starting scene, the game already started glitching out. I started having framerate drops and it even crashed on one of the roads for no reason. My friend on his system is having the very same issue. Im NOT saying this game is terrible, but it is not good either. Im mixed on the decision, so im giving it a 4/10. I will change my review IF they release a future patch to fix so many peoples issues. All the critics have rated it mixed or negative, and these fanboy silent hill downpour freaks keep rating the game all up. There insane. Read reviews from trusted critics like IGN, the games not terrible or good. A patch to fix the SEVERAL framerate drops, crashes, awkward pauses in voice overs, animation problems, etc... i will change my score. Until then, im taking it back to walmart, since walmart now refunds games in my state. Konami, do what others are saying and listen to us. Develop "in house" and stop getting these other amature developers to screw us over like usual. I have not seen a good silent hill at all since 3. 4 was ok, Origins was a massive low end graphics lagathon disaster, homecoming had a good premise but fell short of good, shattard memories was horrible,and this cuts the cake. Im worried now... im sure PSvitas SH BOM will not succeed as said before. Im still gonna try the demo on my vita... provided there is a demo. (if theres no demo, im not getting it). So guys, be warned when buying this game you will run into several issues. The story is very good though, and a true silent hill fan should totally check it out at least.…Expand

Silent hill: Downpour is great, the environments you can explore, the combat is way better & more responsive than any other game in the series, (don't expect to call in AC130's or combat knife people in one hit) and you'll be pleased with the result. The only real downfall with this game, and it's really annoying, but hides away at some points, is the stuttering. By this I mean that whileSilent hill: Downpour is great, the environments you can explore, the combat is way better & more responsive than any other game in the series, (don't expect to call in AC130's or combat knife people in one hit) and you'll be pleased with the result. The only real downfall with this game, and it's really annoying, but hides away at some points, is the stuttering. By this I mean that while accessing a new area the game will some times stop for a moments time, freeze, or jump around to kind of load things up. Still, you should try it.…Expand

Great game.. I think its the best one in the series since Silent hill 2,3 , the graphics are kinda good, combat is OK , and the game is scaries than Dead Space. and while the game have some technial issues/bug, i still think its an amazing game.

PS: i had to give this game a perfect 10 to counter all those trolls one the forums that said they will rate this game 0 , my real score is 8/10

Awesome game.. While its not as good as old Silent hill games its a step in the right direction, and btw that is not my real score i only give it 10 because some people on the forums are saying they will rate this game 0 to lower its user score, i gave it a 8.5/10

"Silent Hill: Downpur" is the 8th incarnation of the game franchise, this time it focus is on the "natural" scenery, and with rain in place of the well known radio static sound. You're playing as a convict who, during a prison transfer, has an bus accident and ends up falling in Silent Hill during your escape.

The game's graphics are very good: in some parts, and especially some textures,"Silent Hill: Downpur" is the 8th incarnation of the game franchise, this time it focus is on the "natural" scenery, and with rain in place of the well known radio static sound. You're playing as a convict who, during a prison transfer, has an bus accident and ends up falling in Silent Hill during your escape.

The game's graphics are very good: in some parts, and especially some textures, it misses some specific detail or better final polishing (as in the background animations, or the fire in the lighter), and lack some interactivity with the environment elements, such as trees, which are static, and do not move when you touch them. But the general work in the scenarios are really a very good job: all of the game's environment are detailed and you can enter in most of the structures that exist, with a wide number of hidden collectibles and objects in them (in the Hard difficulty you not to see them soo easily: many objects end up unnoticed).

The overall ambiance of the game, between the mists, darkness and rain is quite sinister and oppressive ... the game is above the level of the previous games in the series (recent ones), in that respect. Regarding the enemies, there is no news or something memorable in their design.

The soundtrack, sound effects and voice acting is perfect for the style of play, and that's a thing that the Silent Hill series has always excelled, and with this game, this is no exception.

The gameplay involves much exploration (with scenarios and large or complex environments, which require some care to not lose yourself), with some segments of fighting (or escaping - that depends on how you want to play), Puzzles (very smart ones in this version of the game ) and some other parts of faster action - meaning escaping (when you enter occasionally the "Otherworld" of Silent Hill, fleeing the "Void").

The combat has the classic scheme of the other games, and when you are injured, your clothes will become bloody, and your attitudes show the physical weakness you feel. A variety of objects can be used as weapons (for melee ou throwing), but all of them are subject to wear off by use.

The game also has a screen of statistics, with many interesting facts about what you did or not in the game, like mysteries, distance walked, sidequests done, etc..

My criticism: I thought the combat it's a little clumsy: it is a little impractical to fight enemies, even with the simplified layout of controls, but they can be avoided most of the time (there is an achievement to finish the game without killing enemies). The "Downpour" in the title refers to the rain, which measures the degree of aggressiveness and the presence of enemies around, entering in the the place of the classic radio static sound.

The same flaw applies to the character's movement: I wanted to see at this point (2012), instead of the classic movement style of the franchise, a well developed and more natural or fluid type of movement in general... yes, this would be an evolution in the game franchise.

A specific critique, on the Xbox 360 (I do not consider this for my score): playing by DVD and USB flash memory drive, the game has a lot of lags - I recommend you to install the game in the Hard Drive.

Overall, the game retains its essence, is a Silent Hill, our classic game of horror and psychological suspense, in this version with more exploration in the game, but with action and clever puzzles segments in the gameplay - it have some problems, like the movements (of the character and combat) and in some specific graphic features, but is great graphically in the environments and in the general "mood". With some extra work the game would be a lot better.

For anyone who is a fan of the series and likes games with this particular style, it's recommended: my score is 7,3 .…Expand

I've been playing this for about 3 hours. Decent graphics. I liked the character/story introduction. Some cheesy "scares" that made me jump lol. IGN was right about the combat, it stinks (better to just run away if you can), but a 4.5 was way harsh. This game is a 7 at best. I'll tell you what, it's a whole lot better that mass effect 3...

It's safe to go back silent hill! Downpour feels very similar to the original silent hill games in that the creepy atmosphere is very terrifying, the puzzles are actually challenging, exploration is more prominent, etc. This game is so good I'm actually going to go so far as to say it rivals the third game in my opinion. Get it now!

Silent Hill Downpour is a good start to revitalizing the series. Silent hill has always been one of my favorite survival horror games of all time and it definitely still has an impact on the way I approach survival horror games. Silent hill downpour has a great story, atmosphere, and the unreal engine graphics look great. The story starts off a bit slow but, when you get into the secondSilent Hill Downpour is a good start to revitalizing the series. Silent hill has always been one of my favorite survival horror games of all time and it definitely still has an impact on the way I approach survival horror games. Silent hill downpour has a great story, atmosphere, and the unreal engine graphics look great. The story starts off a bit slow but, when you get into the second half of the game it starts to make more sense. The game play is what you would expect from a silent hill game but, with more of an emphasis on exploration than combat. The games atmosphere is perfect and is the most comparable title in the series to come close to silent hill 2. The city is basically a character in the game and really comes alive and sucks you into the whole experience, it's really addicting. The graphics are great, the fog, creepy locations, and weird characters all make a return in this game. Combat can be a little clunky at times but, the silent hill games never were about smooth combat, it's supposed to feel clunky and old school. Puzzles in the game were varied and felt well placed within the story except for one towards the end of the game. Silent hill downpour is a great game that silent hill fans should have a blast with and Vatra games really deserves credit for bringing silent hill back to it's roots.…Expand

From the impressions and reviews I've read so far (aside from ign's farcical attempt) it's almost unanimous that this is the best Silent Hill game in years. Incredible atmosphere, heavy focus on original and creative puzzles, unique and interesting otherworld environments and a captivating and original story. Combat and monster designs have been noted as mediocre for the most part butFrom the impressions and reviews I've read so far (aside from ign's farcical attempt) it's almost unanimous that this is the best Silent Hill game in years. Incredible atmosphere, heavy focus on original and creative puzzles, unique and interesting otherworld environments and a captivating and original story. Combat and monster designs have been noted as mediocre for the most part but overall this is a game for Silent Hill fans, but the average gamer who needs everything spoon fed to them might not get that into it.

It's been getting good to average reviews so far with the exception of one overtly negative review that failed to provide any info on anything in the game other than technical issues like freezing when autosaving etc. so I would advise people to try and think for themselves where this game is concerned as nothing is more pathetic than blindly following what a review on a site like ign (which has become something of a laughingstock over the past decade) has to say. Having a mind of your own is like totez cool. Honest rating: 8.5/10, rating it higher to counter the little kids giving it a much lower score than it deserves.…Expand

As said by others, this game is not deserving of its hype. Its game has horrible bugs and glitches that are so easy to find. The game has same very bad lags and full system lockups. It has terrible visual effects. (graphics are ok), the story is ok. The combat system is broken. Animations for using weapons make Murphy fly everywhere (as said by IGN as well), and sometimes in crowded areasAs said by others, this game is not deserving of its hype. Its game has horrible bugs and glitches that are so easy to find. The game has same very bad lags and full system lockups. It has terrible visual effects. (graphics are ok), the story is ok. The combat system is broken. Animations for using weapons make Murphy fly everywhere (as said by IGN as well), and sometimes in crowded areas the game slows down to an un enjoyable framerate per second. I agree with ccrogers15, he said it out right. This game never should of happened if this is how konami plans to lead on this once good series. This series WAS good, up until 4. After 4, we get games that are very unenjoyable. Book of memories is next, and oh god, im sure it will fail utterly. Konami, listen to your fans and PLEASE, develop silent hill 10 for us yourselfs. No more of this nonsence, or bring back the dev team who made Silent hill 1-4. Silent Hill 1-4 got all good reviews( silent hill 4 was lower), but the rest all got mixed reviews or completely panned (like origins). Come on konami. I took my copy back, and they gave me a refund at gamestop which is good. Im using the money for Silent Hill HD Collection, i suggest you should too, to avoid being disappointed by the worst silent hill ever made.…Collapse

Silent Hill fans desperate to find any good left in the series will be relieved to know that Silent Hill: Downpour is a step up from 2008's forgettable Homecoming, but Konami seems to be trapped in some horrifying nightmare of its own design.

Developer Vatra clearly has a fondness for the material and they've tried to address some of the series' more nagging issues with varying degrees of success. There are moments in Downpour that genuinely work and showcase what this franchise could be with a little more TLC. Unfortunately, there are still rough patches to be smoothed over and kinks to be worked out in subsequent sequels-but here's to hoping Vatra gets another crack at it.

Even despite its flaws, Silent Hill: Downpour manages to scare and entertain the living hell out of me. Change isn't always bad, especially for a town so devoted to change its visitors as Silent Hill. [May 2012]